Apparatus for the production of pressure-shaped parts from oriented wood particles

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for the production of shaped parts from wood particles comprises a base plate carrying a plurality of fluidoperated cylinders which act upon a mold-cavity support open upwardly along a horizontal face. A ram mounted on the base plate is received in the cavity and an orienting device is detachably mounted upon the face plate so that its chamber is aligned with the mold-cavity. The orienting device is provided with a downwardly convergent compartment above a parallel-wall chamber communicating with the mold-cavity and provided with vertical partitions which serve to orient the particles when the device is vibrated by appropriate means. A press platen can be applied to the face to drive the latter toward the base plate, upon removal of the device, to compact the particles in the mold-cavity.

United States Patent Urmanov et al.

[ Aug. 26, 1975 3,561,054 2/1971 Smith 425/78 X 3,689,186 9/1972 Winter et a1. 425/352 3,764,244 10/1973 Hurley ct 211...... 425/78 3,807,913 4/1974 Bredc et a1. 425/78 [75] Inventors: Urman Alexandrov Urmanov;

Veseli g Ivanov both of Primary ExaminerRobert L. Spicer, Jr. Sofia Bulgana Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Karl F. Ross; Herbert 73 Assignee: DSO Mebel, Sofia, Bulgaria Dubno [22] Filed: Dec. 10, 1973 57 ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No: 423,486

An apparatus for the production of shaped parts from wood particles comprises a base plate carrying a plui Forelgn Apphcatlon Pnonty Data rality of fluid-operated cylinders which act upon a Apr. 25, 1973 Bulgaria 23437 mold-cavity support open upwardly along a horizontal face. A ram mounted on the base plate is received in [52] US. Cl. 425/410; 425/78; 425/199; the cavity and an orienting device is detachably 425/352; 425/432; 425/444; 425/456 mounted upon the face plate so that its chamber is [51] Int. Cl. B29c 3/00 aligned with the mold-cavity. The orienting device is [58] Field of Search 425/352, 78, 354, 199, provided with'a downwardly convergent compartment 425/355, 406, 410, 431, 432, 444, 456 above a parallel-wall chamber communicating with the mold-cavity and provided with vertical partitions [56] References Cited which serve to orient the particles when the device is UNITED STATES NTS vibrated by appropriate means. A press platen can be 2,598,016 5/1952 Richardson Sr 425/78 X applied to the face to drive the latter toward the base 1172156 3,1965 Bclden 425/78 pl p removal f the dev1ce,t0 mp the p 3,382,540 5/1968 Van D Maden Ct a1. 425/78 tlcles n h m l -cavity.

3,416,191 12/1968 Richter et a1. 425/78 X I F 3,469,283 9/1969 Vinson 425/78 2 Clams 5 Drawmg gums I A I rill! I 8 4 l y i; 9 9 3 "A B A l3 l4 PATENTEU Au'se s 1975 sum 1 OF 5 FIG.1

PATENTED AUGZ 6 1975 SHEET 2 BF 5 FIG.2

PATENTEU AUG 2 6 I975 SHEET 0F 5 FIG.4

PATENTEDAUBZEIBYB 3,901,642

' sum 5 BF 5.

APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF PRESSURE-SHAPED PARTS FROM ORIENTED WOOD PARTICLES This invention relates to an apparatus for the produc tion from oriented wood particles of pressure-shaped parts for furniture and engineering products, such as seat frames for chairs, frames and legs for tables, bases and base frames for cabinet-type furniture, etc.

Methods and apparatuses for the production of straight pressure-shaped parts from oriented particles are known. The particles, which are oriented in an orienting box, are laid-up in a mold; this mold performs a reciprocating motion below the box in order to fill it over its whole length. To make the motion of the mold underneath the box possible, there must be a certain distance between them. The drawbacks of these methods and apparatuses are:

inconvenience in producing curved parts since the mold must perform complex motions; and

during the pouring of the particles intothe mold, they are disoriented to a certain degree.

A method and an apparatus are known in which the particles are oriented and poured directly into the pressure mold, while orienting metal sheets are provided in the cavity of the pressure mold. It is a drawback of this method that, during the removal of the metal sheets from cavity which is filled with oriented particles, the particles are disarranged and part of the particle mass is even thrown out of the cavity.

It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for the production of pressure-shaped parts of different shapes from oriented particles. In this apparatus the particles are oriented and poured in an orienting device and are then transferred into the cavity of the pressure mold.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be made to the accompanying drawing in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention, i.e. an apparatus for the production of seat frames for chairs. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the orienting apparatus at the start for the process of orienting the particles;

FIG. 2 is a plan view partly in a cross-section view taken along line A-A in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 1 of the orienting apparatus at the end of the orienting process;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the pressure mold, disposed in the press, with a pressed P FIG. 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the pressure mold at the moment of the removal of the pressed part.

According to the invention, the apparatus for the production of pressure-shaped parts from oriented particles comprises a device for orienting the particles 1 and a pressure mold 2. The orienting device for the particles comprises a base plate 3, on which the housing 4 is disposed, which carries the tray 5 in which the particles to be oriented are fed onto its grid bottom 6. On the upper side of the grid bottom, transversely to the tray 5 are partitions 7 which limit the motion of the particles on the bottom or grid when the device is vibrating. On the lower side of the grid bottom 6 there are fastened the orienting metal sheets 8, which provide the orientation of the particles. At their upper parts the orienting metal sheets are convergent, while at their lower part they are parallel one to another and their cross-section along line BB corresponds to the crosssection of the mold cavity 2. By means of the locking devices 9 the orienting device for the particles 1 is attached rigidly to the pressure mold.

Attached to the housing 4 of the orientingdevice for the particles is a vibrator 10.

The pressure mold comprises a base 11, on which are mounted hydraulic cylinders 12- with double-acting pistons 13, which are connected to the front plate 14. Attached to the front plate 14 is the cavity 15 .of the pressure mold 2, into which the oriented particles for the part 20 are pressed. Fastened to the base 11 by means of the carriers 17 is a punch or ram 16, which glides freely in the cavity 15. Attached to the base 11 of the pressure mold 2 is a vibrator 18.

The apparatus operates as follows:

The device for orienting the particles 1 is placed on the pressure mold 2 so, that the base plate 3 is supported by the front plate 14. Thus, the ends of the orienting metal sheets 3 protrude into the cavity 15, and then the device for orienting the particles 1 and the pressure mold 2 are connected rigidly by means of the locking devices 9. The pistons 13 are set in bottom position of the hydraulic cylinders 12, so that the punch 16 is at the upper end of the cavity 15. The particles needed for one part, which are coated with adhesive and are dosed (metered) by weight, are poured uniformly onto the grid bottom 6. The vibrators l0 and 18 are switched on, and under the action of the vibrations the particles fall through the holes of the grid bottom 6 and coming into contact with the orienting metal sheets 8, they orient themselves parallel to the plate and at the same time parallel to each other. In order to achieve a high degree of orientation of the particles, a certain time after switching on the vibrators 10 and 18 the punch 16 begins to sink into the cavity 15 of the pressure mold 2 in such a way, that a column of oriented particles is obtained between the orienting metal sheets 8 and the zone of final orientation (see FIG. 1 The rate of sinking of the punch 16 is coordinated with the passing of the particles through the grid bottom 6 in such a way, that in the zone of final orientation there is always a column of oriented particles and this column fills continuously and smoothly the cavity 15 of the pressure mold 2. After all particles are ordered in the cavity 15 of the pressure mold 2 (see FIG. 3) the device for orienting the particles is removed and the particles are pressed by means of the press 19 (see FIG. 4). After completing the pressing, the pressure-shaped part 20 of oriented wood particles is removed from the pressure mold 2 by moving the pistons 13 to their bot tom end positions (see FIG. 5).

What we claim is:

1. An apparatus for producing shaped bodies from oriented wood particles, comprising:

a base;

a plurality of fluid operated cylinders connected to said base;

means movable relative to said base and connected to said cylinders for displacement thereby and defining a vertically extending mold cavity opening upwardly along a horizontal face;

a ram conforming to the configuration of said cavity and mounted on said base for compacting a mass of particles within said cavity between said face said chambers; and a grid disposed between said chambers, said particles passing through said grid upon vibration; and press platen adapted to bear against said face upon removal of said device to compact oriented wood particles in said cavity between said ram and said platen upon displacement of said face toward said base by said platen. 2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said plates extend through both said chambers and have downwardly convergent upper portions. 

1. An apparatus for producing shaped bodies from oriented wood particles, comprising: a base; a plurality of fluid operated cylinders connected to said base; means movable relative to said base and connected to said cylinders for displacement thereby and defining a vertically extending mold cavity opening upwardly along a horizontal face; a ram conforming to the configuration of said cavity and mounted on said base for compacting a mass of particles within said cavity between said face and said ram upon displacement of said face toward said base; an orienting device removably mounted on said face and including: a parallel-wall chamber registering with said mold cavity, a downwardly converging chamber communicating with said parallel-wall chamber and disposed thereabove, means for vibrating said chambers, a plurality of vertically extending parallel plates spaced apart in said chambers for orienting wood particles descending therein upon vibration of said chambers; and a grid disposed between said chambers, said particles passing through said grid upon vibration; and press platen adapted to bear against said face upon removal of said device to compact oriented wood particles in said cavity between said ram and said platen upon displacement of said face toward said base by said platen.
 2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein said plates extend through both said chambers and have downwardly convergent upper portions. 